Gedong Archeological Site, Petungkriyono Pekalongan

A brief guidance about the existence of Gedong Archeological Site at Tlogopakis Petungkriyono, Pekalongan, and where the approximate location of the place was acquired by accident. That's because my casual gaze fell on a floor plan map that shows location of places of interest in Petungkriyono Sub-District. The map was placed near ticket box of Curug Bajing.

Because Gedong Site is in the same village as with the waterfall, which means rather close, I then took the opportunity to visit the megalithic site. From the ticketing officer I knew that the guard of Gedong Site of Tlogopakis Petungkriyono is husband of the food stall woman that we stopped by to eat boiled noodles. It's just that he was still away.

Not too long awaiting, the site guard came by riding on his motorcycle. His name is Kisno, still rather young of age, probably late 30s or early 40s. He asked us to go first and to wait him near a T-junction, while he went home to change clothes before we accompanied us to visit the Gedong Site of Tlogopakis Petungkriyono.

Wid was standing in front of the open entrance to the Gedong Archeological Site, with bamboo fence in its left and right side. A few moments before we met Kisno who had dressed properly in a nearby T-junction. Right near the left end of the fence there was an andesite stone with a flat surface, and on it were a few pieces of coins of five hundred rupiah.

We then went down the steps and walked together through the trail which land was clean enough with less than one meter of width. The path then slightly uphill with a bit wide flat rocks structure mounted on the walkway and low stone wall was on the right side. Kisno preceded walking rather fast a few meters in front of us.

Stone mortar, a megalithic era relic, was seen in an open area in the middle of forest trees, a few meters away to the left lane of footpath within Gedong Site, Petungkriyono Pekalongan. Local residents call it a klenteng. It's covered with flat stone mortar. The water is always there, and if the water is full means there will be fertile farming.

Around the stone mortar there were a number of other ancient stones, including smaller stone mortar which was chipped upper half. There was also a fairly large stone with a rectangular flat surface similar to dolmens (stone tables). There was a residual burnt of incense near the stone mortar, a sort of homage to the magical caretaker, if any.

We then continued our trip, and a few moments later Kisno turned again to the left to show a very large two meters width of stone, with length of almost four meters, and height of more than one meter. That stone was in horizontal position, and perhaps was formerly used as a cult stone or a place to put offerings to god or goddess.

We continued our journey deeper into the middle of the forest, across a small, rocky creek, with seemingly rather unspoiled water. Up the steep rocky road until we meet in the main area of Gedong Site.

Wid was standing near an irregular structure consisted of a number of rather wide flat andesite stones shaped like a stone tomb or whatever the intention shape was. A porcelain cup was placed on a stone that was also seemingly used as a base for incense burning cult. This place was indeed sacred by some local people.

Kisno told us that the place was the Hermitage of Kanjeng Sinuwun Bagus from Gunung Jati, Cirebon. People normally come to this place on Kliwon Tuesday. It is said that in ancient times there lived a pair of dragon in Lake Indra named Baru Klinting. When the female was pregnant, she craved and made the male to ruin Tlogopakis village.

The male dragon, however, was then killed by Sinuwun Bagus. The female dragon was expelled by the Sinuwun and went eastward, stopped by to some places like Nggarung, Candi, and climb to Mount Sigudeg. Finally, she saw Lake Mangunan and felt fit, and there she gave birth to Den Bugel Dragon which lived in a lake below Mount Rogojembangan.

Until one day Den Bugel Dragon asked his mother on whereabouts his father, and got answer that his father had been killed by Tlogopakis inhabitants. Surely Den Bugel Dragon harbored grudges against the people of Tlogopakis, but Kanjeng Bagus told him that he could take revenge if all Serut Trees he planted had vanished. But the trees are alive till now.

The fairytale-like story must be intended to deliver message from elders to the community of Tlogopakis Petungkriyono to continue maintaining and preserving the forests properly, so that disasters and calamities will not befall the population. Gedong name, according to Kisno, referring to the name of the area where the megalithic site is located.